The Death Penalty

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the principle of retributive justice remains evident in capital punishment. In meting out the final penalty, society is effectively saying that there is no hope for rehabilitating an individual. The paper explains that the principles of retributive justice could be used to justify the application of the death penalty in many cases. The paper also shows how social inequity, geography and even subjective interpretations have resulted in selective applications of the death penalty. This uneven application means that people who are meted the death penalty are subject to a punishment that is "cruel and unusual" which violates the Eight Amendment of the United States Constitution.

From the Paper:

"The principles of retributive justice could be used to justify the application of the death penalty in many cases. However, specific criteria need to be met. First, retributive justice demands that the punishment be commensurate to the crime. Thus, a just application of the death penalty demands that the person facing execution should have caused a loss of life."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bienen, Leigh. "Can the Death Penalty Be Administered Fairly? No." in The Death Penalty. Hayley R. Mitchell, Ed. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Greenhaven Press, 2001.
• Cahn, Steven and Markie, Peter. Ethics : History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Johnson, Jeffery and Johnson, Colleen F. ""Poverty and the Death Penalty," Journal of Economic Issues 2(2001): 513-522

More papers on The Death Penalty:

• Comparison Essay # 86139 : "The Death Penalty: Analyzing Arguments"
• Argumentative Essay # 32747 : "The Death Penalty"
• Research Paper # 93369 : "Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty"
• Persuasive Essay # 142258 : "The Death Penalty Back in Canada"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: